Nian 念
🪷 What Do Traditional Funeral Rituals Mean to You? 🪷
During the funeral, I was overwhelmed by the noise and smoke, which prevented me from properly grieving and expressing my emotions. Many of my grandmother’s belongings were discarded or burned according to tradition. I wished to keep the memory of my loved ones in my heart and have a memento from them that I could cherish whenever I missed them. This is how the concept of Nian 念 was initially conceived.
How might we change people's perception towards death and funerals in Chinese culture, where it is often treated as a taboo subject.
Perceptions of East Asian funeral rituals are polarized.
Incorporate the latest technology (XR) into the funeral ceremony to challenge people's established perceptions of traditional funeral rituals.
Design solution 1
Virtual Experience
Main Page
As a user, I can access the funeral by scanning a QR code or through pop-up windows within the AR interface design.
Scan QR Code
I can scan the code at the funeral to retrieve information about the ceremony.
Funeral Information
I can view detailed information about the deceased on a pop-up screen.
Design solution 2
Purchase Virtual Tribute and Burn
“The more money you spend for the funeral, the more you respect the deceased. I personally don’t agree with this tradition but I have to obey.”
Buy Tribute with Points
I can use collected points from attending other funerals to purchase virtual tributes for burning in the Tribute Store.
Burn the Tribute and Let the Plant Grow
I can nurture the flowers by burning the tributes, allowing the AR platform to display a beautiful scenery during the funeral.
Design solution 3
Check My Family
“I want to cherish my family and build a stronger family tie after the funeral.”
Check My family status
I can view my family tree on the platform, fostering a sense of our collective participation in this ceremony.
View Family Rank
I can view the level of honor of each family member, which is an inheritance of the traditional Chinese culture of honor.
View My Past Plants
I can access records of my past attended funerals and view the plants grown during those ceremonies. Each virtual plant represents a deceased family member, who will be remembered eternally through these virtual plants.
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